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GHG Global Warming Potential (GWP) Values Table: AR4, AR5 and AR6

Every Scope 1 inventory converts non-CO2 gases into CO2 equivalent using a global warming potential. This table lists the 100-year GWP values for the gases most plants actually emit, across IPCC AR4, AR5 and AR6, so you can pick the set your framework requires.

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Gas	Formula	GWP-100 AR4	GWP-100 AR5	GWP-100 AR6	Typical source in a plant
Carbon dioxide	CO2	1	1	1	Fuel combustion, process emissions
Methane (fossil)	CH4	25	28	29.8	Natural gas leaks, boilers, wastewater
Nitrous oxide	N2O	298	265	273	Combustion, nitric acid processes
Sulfur hexafluoride	SF6	22800	23500	25200	Switchgear, magnesium casting, test gas
Nitrogen trifluoride	NF3	17200	16100	17400	Semiconductor chamber cleaning
HFC-23	CHF3	14800	12400	14600	Etching, fire suppression, by-product
HFC-32	CH2F2	675	677	771	Component of R-410A air conditioning
HFC-125	C2HF5	3500	3170	3740	Component of R-410A and R-404A
HFC-134a	CH2FCF3	1430	1300	1530	Chillers, vehicle and process cooling
HFC-143a	CH3CF3	4470	4800	5810	Component of R-404A and R-507
HFC-152a	CH3CHF2	124	138	164	Aerosol propellant, foam blowing
HFC-227ea	C3HF7	3220	3350	3600	Clean agent fire suppression
HFC-236fa	C3H2F6	9810	8060	8690	Fire suppression, specialty cooling
HFC-245fa	C3H3F5	1030	858	962	Foam blowing agent
HFC-43-10mee	C5H2F10	1640	1650	1600	Precision cleaning solvent
Perfluoromethane (PFC-14)	CF4	7390	6630	7380	Semiconductor etch, aluminium smelting
Perfluoroethane (PFC-116)	C2F6	12200	11100	12400	Semiconductor etch and chamber cleaning

GWP-100 values are for the 100-year horizon. Which report you use is set by your reporting framework or regulator, not by preference. Always confirm against the current official text before filing. Blends such as R-410A are weighted by their component GWPs.

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How to use the table

Search for the gas or refrigerant name, then read the column that matches the assessment report your program mandates. Multiply the mass emitted (in the same unit you report, usually tonnes) by the GWP to get tonnes of CO2e. Export the filtered rows to Excel to paste into your inventory workbook so the factor is documented next to the calculation.

Use one assessment report consistently across all gases and all years in an inventory
Record the source report in your methodology notes for auditors
Convert kilograms to tonnes before multiplying if your total is in tonnes CO2e

Which report applies

The GHG Protocol allows companies to use recent IPCC values, and many programs now ask for AR5 or AR6. National inventories under the UNFCCC have historically used AR4 values, and some regulations still reference AR4 or AR5 in their text. Your corporate standard, customer questionnaire or regulator decides. When in doubt, report the headline in the required report and keep the alternative as a sensitivity column.

Worked example

A plant leaks 12 kg of HFC-134a from a chiller in a year. Using AR5, 12 kg is 0.012 tonnes, multiplied by 1,300 gives 15.6 tonnes CO2e. Using AR6 the same leak is 0.012 times 1,530, or 18.4 tonnes CO2e. The difference is real, which is why the report choice must be fixed and disclosed rather than switched year to year.

Common mistakes

Mixing report versions inside one inventory is the most common error, followed by applying the CH4 value for biogenic methane to a fossil source or the reverse. AR6 splits methane into fossil and non-fossil values, and this table shows the fossil figure. Another frequent problem is forgetting that refrigerant blends need component weighting and that the quantity reported must be the mass actually lost, not the mass in the system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which GWP set should I use for my inventory?

Use the set your reporting framework, regulator or customer specifies. If none is mandated, a recent report such as AR5 or AR6 is common practice under the GHG Protocol. Apply one set consistently and state it in your methodology so results stay comparable year to year.

Why do GWP values change between reports?

Each IPCC assessment updates radiative efficiency, atmospheric lifetime and carbon cycle modelling. The values for gases such as methane and HFC-134a shift slightly as the science is refined, so the same physical emission produces a different CO2e total.

Does this table include refrigerant blends like R-410A?

No. Blends are not listed as single gases in IPCC reports. You calculate a blend GWP by weighting each component by its mass fraction, using the component values shown here, or use the blend value published by your regulator.

Is GWP-20 the same as GWP-100?

No. GWP-20 uses a 20-year time horizon and gives much higher values for short-lived gases like methane. Almost all corporate inventories and regulations use the 100-year horizon shown in this table.

If your emissions inputs live in ERP purchasing and maintenance records, we can help build a governed extract that applies the right factor per material automatically.

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